U.K.
Workers at museums across the country took strike action on 30 May as part of the three-month campaign of industrial action organised by the PCS civil service union. The union is protesting against the government's refusal to negotiate on pay and jobs and it began its campaign with a national civil service strike on 20 March. A further day of national action could be called in June if the government makes no moves to negotiate.
Read more at > PCS
After a long-running dispute, around 1,900 workers are now covered by a new collective agreement running from 1 January 2005 to 1 April 2007. A lump sum payment worth 1.5% of annual pay was awarded for 2005 and the 2006 pay increase will be 1.5% with a further rise of 0.25%. There will be further talks over achieving a more flexible and balanced rostering of workers. Read more at > ABVAKABO
Friday 13 June will be the first one-day strike in a possible series of stoppages by over 400 staff working for the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI). The members of the Prospect and PCS unions voted overwhelmingly for action in response to the employer's latest pay offer. There has been an almost one-year delay before the NMSI offered 1.5% plus performance-related pay increases for 2008 and only performance-related increases for 2009. The unions point out that 1.5% is even below the government's 2% guideline that public sector unions have already rejected as inadequate. [Read
Workers at museums and historical buildings in Greenwich in South East London took strike action on 1 January in protest at changes to their contracts imposed by management. The changes mean fewer breaks, removal of paid breaks and an extension of hours in which workers' shifts can fall. All these effectively undermine the 3% increase in the hourly rate negotiated by their trade union Prospect last year. The new terms and conditions also don't guarantee payment of the unofficial London living wage which is currently GBP 10.20 (EUR 11.50).
